Work Text:
Chazz leaned back in his office chair. His eyes scanned the hundreds of emails he had about problems that weren't his problem. He figured when he took over after putting his brothers away the emails would fade into the background. Wishful thinking. He thought to himself. He peered around his office, it was quiet today. Jaden hadn't texted him from the school, besides the usual good morning text, and his daughter was ever silent.
His phone dinged, the ojamas perked up from the couch. He peered over at them with a glare, yellows arms flew up in defense. Won't bother you boss! Echoed in the room to only his ears. “You better not.” Chazz glared at the pile of brothers. Those three were the only ones that plagued him when he went to work. He looked down at his phone and hummed, his daughter.
Princess ; ik I said I'd be in today but I just woke up in so much pain, in working from home. I should be able to make the meeting jus call me
Dad ; that's alright Princess, take some painkillers. Please don't overexert yourself.
Princess ; you think anything is over exerting myself. I'm literally Hobbling to my home office lmao
He rolled his eyes. If it was one thing he wished his daughter didn't get, it was the propensity to brush off her pain like her papa. He sighed and put down his phone, eyes flicking up to his door as his assistant walked in. He tilted his head at the man, a sweet boy, he was glad he hired him.
“Mr. Princeton, burst called out today, said she was working from home?” the boy tilted his head at him. Chazz nodded and then got up from his chair. He looked at the clock 8am. He had been here since 6. He turned to his assistant and nodded.
“Yes I know, she told me. I'll be out of the office for the rest of the day too.” chazz said, he ignored the loud cheers of the ojama brothers behind him. Looking at his assistant he continued. “She's having bad pain flare ups and I want to make sure she's not overworking herself. Maizey is at work, so no one's there to make sure she doesn't go overboard.”
His assistant looked A little confused and opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. “But isn't her home office like…right downstairs from the bedroom? She can't do that much damage to herself while she's sitting at a desk.” Chazz scoffed and rolled his eyes.
“Tatsu, my daughter cannot sit still for the life of her. If only it were that simple.” Chazz said, the man hummed and shrugged. “Alright..you want me to tell your 9am meeting to just call you?” Chazz smiled easily at the boy with a nod. Rounding around his desk he packed up his bag and grabbed his coat, it was getting cold out. He never liked the cold much.
“I'll see you on Monday, tatsu.” He said brushing past the boy and out of his office. He didn't react as the ojamas sat on his shoulders and ruffled his gray hair. Making his way to the elevator he punched the down button and made his way to the corner store, and then he would make his way to his daughters house.
It didn't take him long to get to the corner store, parking on the side of the street and dipping his head in. The girl at the counter chimed a hello at him as he dipped into the isles. Grabbing a bag of chips, some peach flavored ice tea, ice coffee and a few other things. His boots clicked across the ground and he put the things on the couch.
“And a box of Marblos, please.” He said, the girl smiled at him, grabbed a box from under the counter and put it in a bag. He grabbed the bag, handed her some cash and made his way out. His strides continued as he tossed the bag into the passenger's side seat and slipped into the driver's seat. He slipped out his phone.
Dad ; I'm on my way with snacks and your favorite drink
Princess ; seriously? Wtv. The doors unlocked, ily plz be safe.
Dad ; of course Princess, I love you too
Chazz couldn't help a small bout of laughter At his daughter's exasperation over text. Jaden wasn't on the mainland to go check on burst, she he would happily do it instead. Speaking of his husband. He flicked over to his husband's contact.
Babe <3 ; burst isn't coming into the office today, said the pains are too much so if you need to call me call my cell.
Babe <3 ; I don't know why you don't call my cell anyways
Slacker ; cause it's funny, I like hearing ur assistance stumble over himself lmao
Slacker ; is our princess OK :( ?
Babe <3 ; she says she's fine but I'm driving to her place to check.
Slacker ; and you have snacks dont u? I knew uve grown soft chazz
Babe <3 ; shut it
Babe <3 ; I love you
Slacker ; I love u toooo!!! <3
Chazz scoffed, half hearted and with no heat. He had grown soft hadn't he? Well, there was nothing he could do about it now. He started up his car and threw his phone to the passenger's seat. Looking out to the road he peeled out of his parking spot and drove to the suburban area that she had moved too. He smiled as he parked in the driveway. He liked this place better than the apartment maizey and burst has stayed in for all those years.
He parked the car, turned it off and opened the door. Swinging his legs out of the car he grabbed the bag and his phone. Rounding around the car and grabbing his bag from the back seat. He locked his car and went to the door, turning the knob. The house had been furnished A long while ago, thankfully it was tasteful. Chazz thanks all the gods for his daughter in law. She moved through the entrance and to the office.
He popped his head through the door. “Princess you awake?” He asked, burst Jumped a bit with a groan and looked over from her computer. A big quilted blanket over her shoulder, it was tattered and old. But chazz knew it well, one of the first gifts she had gotten from maizey. One she never shut up about when she did get it. He chuckled and walked up behind her, hand falling onto her right shoulder. “Sorry dear, didn't mean to spook you.” He said, then held up the plastic bag in hand.
Burst grinned at him tired and in pain she grabbed the bag with a shaky arm. It made chazz's eyes droop a bit in worry. He hated seeing burst in pain, but as much as he wanted to take it away, stuff like that just happened. He couldn't control it. He glared over his shoulder as he felt ojama yellow pat his shoulder. The small thing jumped and poofed. He looked out the window in the office. So many duel spirits. He could see the elemental hero women, wildheart. The scorpion squad was out there, talking. He smiled a bit, he liked seeing them all get along.
“thanks dad..” Burst whispered, popping open her tea and munching on the bag of chips. He smiled and turned to look at her. He ruffled her hair lightly, bending down and kissing her head. “Of course, Princess.” He leaned his head on her and looked at her laptop. So many emails. He groaned and burst just nodded.
“I woke up to like..150 this morning? I've gotten it down to like 75. Is that 9am meeting still happening?” burst asked and looked up at her dad. Chazz nodded and she groaned. He chuckled and looked at her. Shuffling across the room and putting his bag down. Taking out his deck he plopped down to the floor, then looked to his daughter.
“You wanna come join me down here? I asked them to call me, so no video.” Chazz said, burst, grumbled and shook her head. “Why didn't you say that first?” She shifted from her spot, her movements slower than normal, grabbing the edge of the desk she slipped down onto the floor. Her own deck in hand and not too far off.
It wasn't long before their 9am meeting started and the first duel was underway. The duel spirits from their deck crowded around them and watched. No holograms meant that they could watch and see what was happening. That didn't stop the two duelist from watching their duel spirits bicker and bicker away when they were pitted against each other.
Chazz brung out ojama yellow and burst groaned and looked at her dad's shoulder as the yellow snot creature jumped up and down, squaring up to sparkwomen. Which scoffed and flicked her finger. Sending the ojama through one of the walls. Burst cackled and she looked at her dad with a beaming smile.
“Why do you still use them? Have you just gotten used to them?” Burst asked, looking at her dad as she flipped over a trap card and took some more life points. Tallying them down on the paper next to her. Chazz scoffed and rolled his eyes, mind going back to the well. All those spirits left there to rot. Chazz hummed and shrugged.
“Your papa says I'm growing soft. Maybe he's right. He's been right since highschool, I needed to battle my brothers with low level cards. The spirits came along with it and well…” he said and looked over the office, seeing the low level monsters smile back at him. He huffed and tilted his head, putting down another monster and negating another trap card. He mumbled. “You're so predictable, just like your papa.”
Burst squawked and glared at her dad. “I am not! At least I start with a different monster. Papa always starts with avian!” She hissed, hoping her dad would give her a bit more credit than that. Chazz chuckled and he saw bursts eyes soften. “So you care about them all?” She asked, tilting her head. Burst always cared about her own, Chazz knew that. He sighed and nodded. Then glared as he heard the ojamas cheer.
You do care, boss!!
“sadly.” He said, bluntly and then played another card on his turn. The morning dissolved into noon, then afternoon. And soon chazz was typing up a take out order on his phone. Don't forget something for maizey. His daughter had said, pointing at him from the other side of the duel mat. He hummed and nodded. Typing in his daughter's favorite order, then maizeys. He couldn't help but smile.
He was so happy his daughter got someone so good. He tapped away on his phone then threw it behind him onto his bag. “Food on the way, kid.” He said and burst cheered, then coughed a bit with a groan. Shuffling a bit in her spot, shifting the blanket over her shoulders. He hummed and shifted over, handing her a pillow. “more comfortable with something more than carpet to sit on.” He said, burst mumbled at him and smiled.
“So what's the tally?” He asked, grinning at his daughter as she shot him a familiar glare. He will forever be glad she got the Princeton glare. He leaned back against the bottom of the couch and quirked an eyebrow at her.
“7 to 9.” She said, her voice grunted as she looked at her dad. Chazz chuckled behind his hand and nodded. 16 games had lasted them a while, some were pretty tense. He was so happy his daughter was so good at a game she had loved, that he had loved. He looked up at her. “Are you doing the winter tournament this year? It's a home tournament so not far.” He asked, pointing at his daughter. She hummed and tilted her head back and forth as she shuffled her cards and got the mat ready again.
“I think so? The pain isn't nearly as bad as it was a couple years ago. The cane helps, so does the support. I'll probably get a hotel this year instead of driving back and forth, save the gas.” She said, waving a hand. Chazz nodded, leaning over and ruffling her short hair. Laughing when she growled at him.
“Good to hear, I'll get the hotel, you don't worry about it princess.” He said, shuffling his own deck now that his daughter was good for another duel. Burst looked at him and let out a defeated sigh. Tilting her head over and nodding.
“Alright dad, will papa be there? It's over winter break right?” She asked, tilting her head. Chazz only nodded and pulled his first round of cards. Taking his turn to set up the ojamas, who happily cheered in his ear. He cringed back and glared over bursts shoulder as sparkwomen snickered.
“He should be, I'll make sure he is. I..” chazz sighed and he looked at his daughter. The scars grafted over her skin and her left hand reaching out to put down her cards now that it was her turn. It made his heart rattle with the hawk in his chest. He sighed and looked up at her.
“Beatrix.”
The girl startled, and for a split second he saw a young teenage girl. Scared out of her mind after a duel she never should've had, still wet from the sea water. He sighed and smiled at her. Her eyes wide as saucers at the use of her birth name.
“Yeah dad?” Her voice quivered with nerves as she looked at him. Chazz beamed at her, taking her right hand into his, he gripped it, she gripped it back.
“I'm so proud of you.” Chazz said, smiling at her. Burst stalled for a second, she had been used to papa saying that, chazz almost never did. One of his many regrets, words never were a string suit for him, according to jaden. The hand gripping his went lax and then gripped his Hand with a weak strength.
“Thanks dad, I'm trying.” She said and chazz grinned at her as he nodded. “I know you are dear, you never try any less than 110 percent. You got it from your papa.” He said with a chuckle, poking her arm lightly after letting go of her hand.
“Now try and beat me this time yeah?” He said, burst hissed at him and the duel spirits rumbled with laughter around them. He had missed this warmth. he should drag his husband back from that horrible fucking island for a vacation. The duels dissolved the time faster, and soon there was food. They took a break from the duels and munched down on the food.
Chazz's head perked up as he looked to the now open door of the office, stopping mid chew to throw up a wave. Maizey had entered the room with a confused look, her hand pointing to chazz and then her gaze landing on the duel mat and then on a still eating burst. Her chopsticks clicked and she went quiet and looked up over the large cape blanket. Her face lit up, and Chazz smiled.
“Shrimpy! Hiiii, we got you food too, it's in the microwave if you want it..it's your favorite I promise.” She said with a grin. Maizey nodded and disappeared to the kitchen. Chazz turned to his daughter, a smile still on his face. He was happy his daughter had found someone so good. He turned back and saw that maizey was back, and this time with another peach tea for burst.
“You want to duel maizey? I haven't seen you in a circuit in a while.” Chazz asked, tilting his head at his daughter in law. Trying to stifle a chuckle. Maizey had been dragged under the blanket by burst, who was now basically shoved into the other woman's side. It was a cute sight and his heart soared for them.
Maizey shook her head, and he nodded, handing her the score board. If she wasn't gonna play she was gonna keep count. “Then you get referee. I need to get to 10.” He said. he needed one more win, then he would get out of their hair. Burst grumbled and glared at her dad, shuffling her cards as she sipped her peach tea.
“Not gonna happen old man.”
“Were gonna see about that, princess.” Chazz grinned. The cards laid out on the mat. He let burst go first, since she won the last round by luck. She played her cards and sparkwomen cheered behind her. Despite maizey joining the party the duel spirits didn't seem perturbed by the women.
The last round wasn't very fast, he was there well into the night. Him and burst leaned over the mat and flared at one another, the bickering of duel spirits loud in the office air. Chazz pulled another card, put it down and smirked as the rest of his daughter's life points drained. Burst let out a loud groan and there her head back against maizeys shoulder.
“That's so unfair!” She hissed and chazz wiggled his finger at her, then pointed. “No it's not dear! It's fair and square, now it's late. You two deserve some rest. It's the weekend after all.” He said, packing up his deck and putting it on his belt. Swift to get up, even with his old bones. His shield sorted as his daughter frowned at him. He leaned over and kissed her head. “We're still having lunch next week, we can talk about the tournament then.” He said with a grin, burst nodded. He looked at Maizey, nodding at her in approval. Then gathered his things.
He lingered in the doorway, and peered backz the two girls had cuddled into one another and were whispering about something or another. He shuffled and shut the office door behind him. As he walked to the door he fished out his phone and texted his husband.
Babe <3 ; burst is doing fine, maizey got here and we finished our last duel.
Babe <3 ; our princess got lucky didn't she?
Slacker ; yeah, she really did.